You've Got to Be Kidding Me
by Rianna Potter
Summary: At the age of sixteen, Harry Potter has never ridden a sled. And who better to do so with for the first time than Ginny Weasley? One shot.


**Disclaimer:** Ask me again and see what happens.

**Author's Notes:** This Christmas fic is for my Secret Santa recipient over at Hogwarts For All. I hope you like it, whoever you are! Ships included: Harry/Ginny, Lupin/Tonks (just a bit), and Ron/Hermione (only a smidge, I couldn't resist!).

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**You've Got to Be Kidding Me**

"You've got to be kidding me," Ginny stared at Harry, dumbfounded. "So you're telling me that in the sixteen years of your life, you've never ridden a sled? Might as well kill me now." She dramatically made a fainting pose and fell over on Harry on the snow-covered hill behind the Burrow.

"And who better to do so with than you?" Harry grinned and pushed her into a standing position. "And besides, I can't kill you now if you've still got to teach me to ride a sled." He laughed, and so did she.

"You're so demanding," Ginny mocked playfully. She headed over to the shed and unlatched the door.

"That's what I'm here for," he replied as he followed. Both of them continued smiling.

Ginny sat down on the small stone bench near the spring garden and pulled on the strings of the sled. "The strings are still good. You got lucky, boy. I was hoping that you'd have to do some work," she scowled lightheartedly. Harry laughed and gripped the end of the sled as it slid off Ginny's lap. His hand brushed against her knee and her face grew red; whether it was from the nippy weather or a blush, he was unable to tell. He beamed and hoisted the wooden work of wonder up on his lap. Ginny avoided his eyes.

"Do you go sledding a lot?" Harry lifted his head up and asked her.

"Every year, even if my brothers don't," she answered, finally meeting his eyes. "I think they've outgrown it, even Fred and George."

"I'm trying to picture Ron on a sled, flying down a hill at the speed of light," Harry responded thoughtfully. Then he laughed. "I guess you have to go through the experience before you can judge it."

Ginny caught on. "Well what are we sitting here for?" she exclaimed. She stood up and the sled slid off her lap once more; Harry caught it by the end before it made contact with the ground. Her face turned crimson again.

"So where are we going to sled?" Harry inquired, returning the sled to her.

"Here," she answered, untangling the strings of the sled while avoiding Harry's eyes again.

"Here?" Harry looked around him and gaped. It was one of the steepest hills he'd ever seen. He looked up and saw the wind blowing violently.

"What, are you scared, Potter?" she teased, dropping the sled lightly to the ground and dragging it off after her. As she pulled him by the arm, Harry felt a surge of warmth shoot through him. He let her drag him on until they reached the pinnacle.

"No, not at all," Harry answered strongly. Ginny snorted. Meanwhile, he attempted to keep himself balanced against the wind. He wondered how Ginny could stand perfectly still in the blazing fit of the wind. _All those years of sledding probably pays off_, he concluded.

"Ready?" she asked him. He snapped his concentration back to Ginny and the sled. Instead of waiting for him to respond, she plopped herself down onto the device and motioned for Harry to sit behind her. He slowly brought himself down to her level.

"Aren't we both a bit big to be on here at the same time?" Harry asked nervously s the wood creaked every time he shifted his weight. "Even if it is magic," he added.

"It's not magic, and you have nothing to worry about! I used to ride this thing with Charlie _and_ Ron at the same time," Ginny waved his concerns off. "And plus, if we crash, we can just put it back together." Harry still wasn't convinced.

"But what if-" Harry began, but then Ginny kicked off the ground and they were flying down the hill at maximum acceleration.

"WOAH!" Harry let out a yell of surprise at the jolt. Ginny was screaming with delight and cheering the whole way through. The wind went through their hair and around their bodies as the sled was steered downhill. Harry felt more alive that he had in months.

As they slowed pace and halted to a stop, both were thrown forward and back again, fully experiencing Newton's First Law of Motion – _an object in motion will stay in motion unless an external force is applied_. Harry was fit full in the face with Ginny's thick earmuffs and rubbed his temple.

Ginny then rolled off the sled and sprawled herself out on the snow-covered ground. She breathed heavily and then laughed. All the while, Harry watched her and couldn't help but laugh. He tossed back the earmuffs and she caught them with a hand, still lying on top of the snow.

"Thanks, I was wondering where they went," she grinned and turned her head to look at him. She slid them back on and pulled her auburn hair out from the band. "Remember the other day when Lupin and Tonks had a snowball fight?"

"That was brilliant. They were at it for an hour; Tonks even built a snow fort," Harry thought back to that day. "Winter holidays are always great," he said as he rolled off the sled and sprawled himself out across from Ginny.

"Did you seem them afterwards in the fort?" Ginny bemused.

"No, but Fred and George told me bits of it later on. Were they _really_ sleeping on each other's shoulders?" Harry wondered. He sat up and shook the snow off himself.

"That's not what I saw, but I'm ready to believe it. There wasn't even mistletoe in there!" Ginny threw up her arms and pulled herself up next to Harry. He laughed and shivered.

"I think we should go inside to warm ourselves, or else we'll wake up next week with black feet and icicles for teeth," Harry suggested. Ginny nodded in agreement and they both stood. Harry lifted the wooden sled and gripped its ends. Ginny ran ahead and opened the shed door.

"That was wonderful," Harry said to her as they put away the sled. Both of them were still grinned like idiots and covered from head to toe in snow.

"See, there was nothing to be scared about!" Ginny reminded him of his disbelief that they would be riding a few straps of wood down a hill the height of Mount Everest. Harry just beamed and kept walking.

"What happened to you two?" Mrs. Weasley burst out as they tracked their soaking feet through the kitchen of the Burrow.

"Did you two have a 'snowball fight' too?" Ron teased.

"Sorry mate, that can only happen twice in one Christmas," Harry retorted and ducked.

"Hey! I resent that!" Ron retorted. Hermione came up from behind laughing and swatted him on the head with her issue of the Daily Prophet. Then she took a seat casually and tried to stifle her laughter as Ron rubbed his head. He just glared at her.

"The snow fort is still standing outside, you know!" Harry yelled to him as he and Ginny took a shortcut to the front door. They sat on the bench and peeled their wet coats, boots, and mittens off.

As Ginny pulled her left boot off, a clump of snow fell off her sock and landed on Harry's now bare foot.

"Sorry," she murmured. Harry shrugged and shook the melting snow off his foot.

"Thanks," Harry said, turning to her. He smiled modestly and piled his wet garments beside the bench.

"Any time," she grinned, picking up her own damp clothing. She and Harry carried their piles to the parlor and laid them out beside the fire. "It's been a great Christmas, don't you think?" Ginny asked as they took seats on the couch facing the fire.

"One of the best," Harry answered, staring at the flames.

"And why is that, Mr. Potter?" Ginny inquiring out of curiosity.

"Because I'm here with you," he paused, "and Ron, Hermione, your family, and the Order." Ginny smiled and looked down at her lap. She pulled her legs up on the couch and crossed them, then stroked Crookshanks, who had just leaped up to her seat. Nothing broke the silence for a while.

"Do you even think about them on Christmas?" Ginny looked up, turning and looking in his eyes. By 'them' she meant Harry's deceased parents.

"Sometimes, but not as much as I used to. I think all of you fill the gaps," he admitted. His eyes went soft.

"But you still miss them, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's hard not to," he returned his gaze to the fire.

"Sorry," Ginny said to him. Then she too turned to look at the fire. Harry didn't respond, just smiled weakly.

"I'm going to go see if dinner's ready yet. Want to come?" Ginny stood up and gently placed Crookshanks down. Harry followed her.

"Stop!" Fred called out as they walked through the doorway.

"What?" Harry asked the twins, puzzled. Both halted.

"Look up," George pointed above their heads. "And even though it was for Ronniekins, and not the two of you, it'll have to do." Both Harry and Ginny followed his arm's outline.

"You two have to leave then," Ginny glared at them, pointing to the door.

"Fine, fine, fine, if you insist," Fred sighed and George followed him up the stairs.

"I do insist!" she yelled after them. "You know, we don't have to do this if you don't want to," she told Harry, turning to him.

"You're loads better than Cho, you know," Harry answered.

"Is that a yes?" Ginny asked shyly.

"Only if you want it to be," Harry shrugged. Both of them looked up at the mistletoe that was nailed on the frame of the doorway and moved closer together.

Ginny found his hand with hers and stood up straight, pressing her lips onto his. The most glorious feeling that she'd felt in her life didn't last long enough for her state, not nearly. Not that she was complaining or anything.

She blushed scarlet and let go of Harry's hand. After a long silence standing in the doorway, Ginny laughed. "You know, I've never been kissed before," she admitted. Harry stared at her like she was mad.

"You've got to be kidding me."

_Fin_.

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**Author's Notes:** Just so you know, most of the Order was staying at the Burrow for Christmas. This is my second Harry/Ginny fic, first posted. Retched? Brilliant? So so? 


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